KFL Program Building in the Era of Expansion: Innovative Local Strategies for Emerging Challenges

Young Mee Yu Cho, Hangtae Cho, Hee Chung Chun, Kyoungrok Ko, Hakyoon Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This is a comparative study on the developmental trajectories of Korean as a foreign language (KFL) program building, based on the experiences of the past decade by four large state universities in North America. All four programs offer at least a three-year language sequence and are currently seeking expansion toward a full Korean studies program within its own academic context. This article explicates how program building efforts have addressed emerging challenges that are often institution-dependent and program-specific. The following strategies are highlighted: (a) starting a new program through community engagement, (b) reconfiguring the curriculum with changing demographics, (c) strengthening the program by stabilizing enrollment, and (d) fine-tuning the curriculum for program expansion. Thanks to innovative and proactive strategies, each program has passed the first phase of development in practical language training and already offers a solid curriculum with a major/minor degree in Korean language and/or Korean studies. In addition, the article examines the ways in which the pedagogical and curricula practices employed by these schools have helped to establish program identity and sustain program growth. Finally, the article projects that commonalities as well as the local differences in the four programs would be useful in designing an assessment framework on KFL program evaluation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1-28
Number of pages28
JournalKorean Language in America
Volume25
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
KS at the University of Toronto started in 1971 when the Department of Religion offered a course, “Religion in Korean Society.” In 1978, thanks to financial support from the Sanhak Foundation, the Department of East Asian Studies (EAS) offered the first university Korean language course in Canada. Currently, two institutional units lead Korea-related teaching and research activities: The Centre for the Study of Korea (CSK) and the EAS. The CSK, established in 2006 as part of the Asian Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, fosters interdisciplinary exchanges among faculty. With activities such as distinguished guest lectures, public symposia, thematic workshops, student-initiated conferences, community events, film screenings, and an annual Korean speech contest, the CSK enhances the visibility of KS at the university and in the neighboring community.

Funding Information:
The Department of Asian Languages and Cultures houses three programs in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean and offers a well-developed sequence of language programs. In close cooperation with the Korean American community, the department offered the first KFL course in Fall 1992 and later expanded its course offerings thanks to great enthusiasm from and wide publicity by the university and the local community. As of Fall 2020, the program has three tenure-track positions in KS and two non-tenure-track teaching professors, a remarkable growth since the first tenure-track position was created in 1996 with funding from the Korea Foundation. Academic programs include an undergraduate major and minor in Korean language in addition to BA in Chinese, Japanese, and Asian Studies, an MA in Asian Studies, and the recently launched Korean-English Translation Interpreting Certificate Program (KETI). For the last five years, the Korean program has shown a steady increase in enrollment. When enrollment doubled (from 323 in 2014 to 702 in 2019) and Korean language students first outnumbered those studying Chinese (360 and 343, respectively, in Fall 2018), department resources were allocated to build the Korean program.11

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Penn State University Press. All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Community engagement
  • Connections
  • Curriculum development
  • KFL program building

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